Merry Christmas

What does Corvette mean?

Some have shrugged this off as an imaginary name that just sounds cool and nothing more, but it’s a real term for a small warship. Not so far out of place, when you think about it. Harley Earl may have designed it and Zora Arkus-Duntov later refined it, but it was GM employee Myron Scott who christened the two-seat fiberglass curiosity. Over half a century later, it’s more or less impossible to think Corvette without thinking speed. That’s indeed a sign of one of the best car names.

Photo Op

Northwestern Bus Company......We'll Never Leave You Hanging!

PhotoShop in Marketing

Campari, the high end liqueur company is getting some slack for using photo shopped images of Jessica Alba in its new ad campaign. If you ask me she looks great before and after.

Did Playboy go too far???

A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company's U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize. The magazine, which hit newsstands on Dec. 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday's pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts. She is standing in front of a stained glass window with the cover line, "We Love You, Maria" in Spanish. The model's name is Maria Florencia Onori. The Virgin of Guadalupe, said to have appeared to a sixteenth century Indian peasant, is Mexico's most revered Roman Catholic figure and the annual pilgrimage to the Mexico City basilica dedicated to her is one of the world's largest religious events. In a statement, Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc said the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and the company did not approve or endorse the cover.

Just in Time for Christmas...

KB Toys announced that they are filing for bankrupcy and that "Going out of business" sales will begin quickly at the chain's 277 retail outlets, 40 larger KB Toy Works stores, and 114 outlet stores and all 30 temporary "holiday stores."
The WSJ says the liquidation was prompted by a 20% decrease in sales in the second half of this year.

Coke adds new Ingredient

The Coca-Cola Co is expected to launch a drink this week with an ingredient that has not yet received Food & Drug Administration approval. The new drink is a non-carbonated juice containing a natural, calorie-free sweetener made from the herb stevia.

The Godfather Family Album

Just in time for the Holidays a limited edition book has just been released that is sure to be the center piece of your coffee table. The Godfather Family Album is a limited edition book that comes hand signed by the author and only 1000 copy's will be produced. Its filled with fascinating details such as photos from scenes that didn't make it into the final cut, like Don Vito visiting his dying consigliere, Genco Abbandando (the predecessor of Robert Duvall's Tom Hagen). Or Pacino's Michael Corleone brandishing a shotgun, taking revenge on his bodygard for the death of his Sicilian wife.

Apple and Walmart

Apple and Walmart have just announced a blockbuster deal in which the giant retailer will start carrying the ultra cool tech company's highly sought after iphone. Walmart is scheduled to start carrying the Apple iphone after Christmas and true to Walmart's style the price will be the lowest around. The version of the iphone they will be carrying will have less storage space for songs and videos but that is exactly their target market--people who don't care much for all the crazy gadgets that phones come with nowadays.

NBC moves Leno's Time Slot

It was 5 years ago that NBC made a deal to give Conan O'Brien the classic 11:30pm late show, just days ago Jay Leno agreed to stay on NBC's payroll and accepted a new job and with it, a new time slot. Leno agreed to move to the 10pm time slot and host a variety show. Many questions loom large, one being - is Leno's target market still the same? Many who stay up for the late show are well, ummm awake. Most folks who don't watch Leno are asleep. Now that he is on at 10pm will he be able to capture some new viewers for the network?

Chicago Tribune files for Bankruptcy

Media conglomerate Tribune Co., buried in $13 billion in debt and with a bleak outlook for generating cash through advertising, on Monday became the first major newspaper publisher to seek bankruptcy protection during the current economic crisis. The Tribune owns the Chicago Cubs baseball team, as well as the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Sun of Baltimore, The Hartford Courant, and six other daily newspapers and 23 television stations. Most of the company's debt comes from the complex transaction in which the company was taken private, with employee ownership, by the wealthy Sam Zell last year. However, he took on lots of debt to make the deal happen and is now struggling to make payments. To make a payment this year, Tribune sold the Long Island daily Newsday to Cablevision Systems Corp. for $650 million. To generate additional cash, the Chicago-based company has been looking to sell the Cubs, Chicago's storied Wrigley Field and the company's 25 percent stake in a regional sports cable channel. But a tight credit market has made it tougher for potential buyers to obtain loans.

Hybrid or Not???

Here are some interesting facts about the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.....or is it a hybrid?

The 2 wheel drive 20mpg rating is only 5mpg better than the regular Escalade.

It is the worst rated mileage per gallon hybrid rated by the EPA.

The 4 wheel drive version is too heavy to even qualify for rating as a hybrid by the EPA.

The motor in the regular Escalade is a 6.2 liter v8-the hybrid is a 6.0 v8. not much smaller.

The hybrid Escalade can still tow 5800 lbs. Who tows that much?

The hybrid Escalade rides on 22inch rims. Gotta have that bling!

Bratz get the Boot!

Toy giant Mattel Inc. has just won a huge case vs. MGA Entertainment Inc. A federal judge banned MGA from making and selling its very popular line of Bratz dolls. The order states that MGA must immediately stop manufacturing Bratz. The judge allowed MGA to wait until the holiday season ends to remove the toys from store shelves.
The decision was a stunning defeat for MGA, which exploded onto the scene in 2001 with the edgy poubty lipped dolls and made hundreds of millions in profits, giving Mattel's more classic Barbie doll some serious competition.
The ruling, issued in federal court, followed a jury's finding that Bratz designer Carter Bryant developed the concept for the dolls while working for Mattel.

Both sides had a lot riding on the judge's decision - MGA made nearly $778 million on the Bratz line since it was introduced seven years ago, and company Chief Executive Isaac Larian made $696 million through June -- although MGA insisted the profits were much less.

Got Muscles?

This unique and innovative ad was used by a health and fitness gym to attract customers that ride the subway. Pretty Cool. I wonder if you feel pumped when you arrive at your stop?

The Roof-The Roof-The Roof is on Fire!

A fire on Thursday burned through the roof of The Body Shop, a landmark West Hollywood strip club promoted in a Motley Crue hit song. The Body Shop, which has been in operation since the 1960s and bills itself as the longest running strip club in Los Angeles, is one of several clubs mentioned in the 1980s Motley Crue anthem to the strip clubs of America, "Girls, Girls, Girls."

A Dog and Pony Show

After the PR disaster 2 weeks ago when the CEO's of the Big Three US auto makers arrived in Washington, each via a seperate private jet, this time around the heads of the nation's largest automakers....drove. This is becoming a big dog and pony show. Get this - each of the executives arrived in a hybrid car that is manufactured by the company they run. All three CEOs made the trip to Washington in high-mileage hybrid vehicles — the types of cars critics say the Detroit Three should have been making more of instead of higher-profit, less fuel-efficient vehicles like Escalades and Hummers.
Rick Wagoner's Malibu was accompanied on Wednesday's trip by two other GM vehicles — a Buick Lucerne, which runs on fuel that is 85 percent ethanol, and a Chevy Cobalt XFE, the brand's highest-mileage vehicle and he arrived at the hearing Thursday morning in a test version of the Chevy Volt. The Ford and Chrysler CEO's followed suit and after being dropped off the vehicles were all parked behind the Russell Senate Office Building where they will be on display until 1pm each day. Lined up side by side were hybrid/electric vehicles from Ford and GM, and Chrysler including the Ford Escape, An electric Jeep Rangler, Malibu Hybrids and the highly anticipated Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid.

Advertising in High Definition

Nothing gets the message across as crystal clear as a over sized high definition TV. JVC's new LED display in Times Square is the first 720p (1280x720) resolution TV on public display - no scaling or head tilting necessary here. After calling Times Square home since 1979, the new improved board lit up Monday at 19 x 34-feet, capable of displaying 60fps

(frames per second) with a mere 8mm pixel pitch this giant screen looks great even close up.

NYC Transit Going Retro

Just in time for the holidays...MTA Transit is holding a promotion that will have classic buses from the 60s and 70s back on NYC streets. These timeless classics will add a special touch and a feel of nostalgia to the city during the season of giving. New York is a special town and this little gift from Transit will only make the city prettier during Christmas time. Hopefully people will notice amid all the hustle and bustle of the shopping season.

Big Brown Shedding its Colors?

In a move perfect for the holiday season, UPS is hiring 28 bike delivery drivers in the Portland metropolitan area. UPS bike drivers will be given special training to really practice pulling 200 pounds and learn such skills as "safe following distance in rain" Even though UPS can only deliver 25-50 packages per day by bicycle, compared to up to 150 by truck. UPS will save $38,000 in vehicle costs for every three delivery bicycles used. Not many people know but UPS started using bicycles to deliver packages 100 years ago in Seattle. Bicycle delivery is ideal for the holiday season as it allows the company to expand its service without having to expand its fleet of expensive delivery vehicles; bikes are only about $600 each. More importantly this is a fantastic PR for a company that struggles with image.

How do you say General Motors in Chinese?

Could General Motors could become a Chinese-owned company?
With firms like Anhui Cherry already showing at the Detroit Auto Show, and China's obvious desire to be a major global player in the auto market, people are starting to wonder if we are about to see a big 3 auto maker be purchased in whole/ part by a Chinese firm looking to expand. Rumors are swirling that Chinese car makers SAIC and Dongfeng have plans to acquire GM and/or Chrysler. While a more likely path is for a Chinese company to acquire a division of one of the big three, there still remains a possibility that they buy out the entire firm.